The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-04-12

herbs of the Passover. Sim-nell cakes
or hot cross buns, were first eaten BY
the Saxon pagans in honor to THEN
goddess, .'Eastre:" Those of the
Christians were marked with a cross,
to distinguish them from the pagan
cakes. Hence the name, "Hot Cross
Buns" Sim-nell cakes derived their
name from a baker and his wife,
whose names were Simon and Nellie,
and whose cakes became so celebrated
that they were known as "Sim-nell''
cakes.
Among the English customs of
Easter week, we find many unique
practices. "Lifting or heaving' was
engaged in by the people Of Shrews-
bury and other northern counties of
England. Easter Monday the men
would go in couples, and were priv
ileged to lift all the women they met,
and demanded a kiss or some other
forfeit in return. Easter Tuesday the
women lifted the men, and demanded
usually coin or present in return
A pretty custom prevailed, for
many years, throughout the principal
cities of England-that Of chipping
the church" Early Easter Monday
the younger children could be seen
gathered at the churches, standing
with their backs against the walls.
There they would wait until a suffi-
cient number had arrived, when they
would join hands, completely encir-
cling the church, then sing a carol and
depart for the next church, where the
ceremony would be repeated.
Ball playing, by tho old ladies and
officials of the town, was also a favor
lite game on Easter Monday.
EASTER EGGS.
The giving of colored eggs on East
er seems to be as old as the festival IT.
self. In the royal roll of Edward l..
preserved in the tower, appears an
entry of "1Sd" for 400 eggs; to be
used for ornamentation by the chill
dren. The testing of the strength of
eggs by cracking the ends together,
and by rolling them down hill, were
farorite amusements with the chill
dren. This custom is continued to
the present day, especially in Ger
many, England, and in Washington
City, in the United States. At Wash
iDgton on Easter Monday, Capitol
Hill' and the white House
Grounds" are given up to the chill
dren for the day, and hundreds. both
white and black, may be seen every
Easter Monday going to spend the
day and enjoying the game of Easter
Rolling" No doubt many can recall
the time when their pet egg" was
made total wreck by the egg" of
that bad boy who had colored "duck
egg" and went round popping all he
could find.
In some of our youthful days our
Easter eggs were usually cOlOred with
onion, lOgwood and calico dyes or
cOchineal, and the fond father, with
his pen-knife, would scratch beautiful
pictures thereon, not after the manner
of Mast, but in a unique and Origi.
nal fashion of his own; such as man
going hunting, with a biz dog, whose
tail curIed up over his back and en-
gagged in chasing rabbit, which was
round OH the other side of the egg-Ot
course the dog never caught the rab-
bit-so the picture read.
These eggs of our joys and sorrows
we kept for q day or two, and then,
in our desire to get the goodies in
side, we would sacrifice art to hunger,
and grow brave and ''bust" some other
fellows, or get "busted" ourselves, and
eat up the meat and forget all about
them until next Easter. Nowadays,
the eggs are "blown" carefully, color
ed with violets, cupids and all the
hues of the rainbow, strung ON silk
ribbons, or slowed away in birds nest
and sent as sweet remembrance of the
day We celebrate, in honor of the res
direction of our Lord and Savior.
IN THIS CITY.
Easter will be celebrated to-day, as
will &c seen, by many of the churches
in this city very appropriately as well
as beautifully with song and flowers
and music and special services.
Among the churches so celebrating
may be mentioned
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL's.
At this church, corner of Pettis
and Lamine streets, the usual solemn
Easter services will be conducted by
Rev Father j. T. ID. Murphy. Ear
" mass will be celebrated at the usual
k.r. and thn.n NIL hn inAn.ont.n..